AN: This author thanks ColHogan for the suggestion/feedback regarding the end of this chapter.

Chapter Fourteen: Giving and Taking

That night, Hogan didn't get much sleep as he continued to work on his plan. He also realized a truth that he had previously missed—this was only the second time recently that Newkirk and Carter had been dying. I don't understand why they wouldn't have told me he thought to himself. Still, he remembered how Newkirk had acted before the three of them had made their way to Colonel Magerlein's house that first night. That small outburst of his—he blamed it on the fact that I was the first human who he had shared his secret with. But, he also told me that he and Carter had been out of blood for four days. I still don't like what they did to Colonel Magerlein—attacking him in their fashion. Sighing, he allowed himself to finish his thought. But they probably knew that they would be able to get what they needed from him that night, so I don't know if I can completely blame them now.

Hogan stood up and began pacing back and forth in his cell, before he sat back down again. The hallway was always lit, so the fact that it was night, as he knew by checking his watch, didn't keep him from being able to see. Slowly, he began rolling up his shirt sleeves. If Faust is a recently changed vampire, he might not know everything that comes along with being one, thank goodness….Maybe Newkirk and Carter are afraid of hurting me? Hogan sighed again, as he continued his thoughts. Suddenly he once again got up from his bench, but instead of pacing, went to stand by the cell door. He knew that his, and Carter's and Newkirk's cells, were adjoining, and that if Faust was able to put a plate of food through his cell bars, then it would be wide enough for him to place his arm through. Hogan positioned himself in the corner where the wall met the cell door as close as he could, and he began to move his arm out through the bars and around the wall. Please don't let this wall be very thick he thought to himself. As he continued moving his arm, he let out an inaudible sigh as he could feel his hand touch the first bar to his men's cell, and another sigh as he found that he could stick his hand and his wrist inside. Pulling his arm back inside his cell, he knew what he had to do as he sat back on his bench.

Since his shirt sleeves were still rolled up, he turned his arms around so that he could study his wrists. His doctors had always told him that he had good blood, and that as far as they could tell, were never lacking for any important nutrients. I may not understand everything, but I don't have to. As their commanding officer, as well as their friend, it's my job to take care of them—and the simple truth of the matter is that I have what they need. It was only then that Hogan allowed himself to fall asleep, since he decided to wait until after his men had woken up to feed them.

…

The fourth day started much the same as the three previous ones had. By this time, Eagle had found his way to Sennfeld (1), where both sides of himself had once again indulged his appetite for rabbit as the previous night's dinner. Klink had decided to give into this reasonable demand, even though he was more in the mood for a sandwich—especially since he knew that he didn't need to lose control over Eagle once the full moon appeared in the night sky. He knew that he was close to finding the missing men, since he had managed to pick up Newkirk's scent right before he had entered Sennfeld. As soon as Klink had left the inn where he had spent the previous night, he walked until he found another deserted alleyway. He quickly began undressing and stuffed his uniform inside his field pack to make yet another transformation. He found that the more he shifted the easier it had been to control his other side, yet the pain had and never would subside. Suddenly, before Eagle could walk out of the alleyway, with his pack securely wrapped over his back, he picked up two more scents—scents that he was well familiar with. I'm glad that they're safe—I was worried that Faust might have done something terrible to them, but now I see that those fears were unfounded. I'm also glad that they're out looking for Colonel Hogan and the others. Suddenly, a slight worry crossed his mind Of course, if LeBeau and Kinch knew that I knew they were out searching, my other cover might be blown. I'm going to have to be extra-careful that I avoid crossing their paths.

…

Back inside their cell, Newkirk and Carter had awoken to face the new day. This time they found that their symptoms had been reversed, as Carter found himself feeling irritable, while the stomach cramps had started for Newkirk.

Suddenly, Carter jumped up from his bench and banged his fists against the cell bars. "Damn that Faust!" he exclaimed, and the sudden shouting jostled Hogan out of his sleep. The sergeant began pacing back and forth, not bothering to hide his anger. Looking over at Newkirk, he stopped and sat back down next to his friend as he saw that Newkirk had suddenly started slightly moaning as he held onto his stomach with both hands. "It's gonna be OK- we're gonna get out of here," Carter told the corporal, drawing Newkirk protectively against him with one arm as he fought to hold back his angry tears.

Looking at Carter, Newkirk told him, "I wish I had me cigarettes."

"I know—so do I," Carter replied.

"But Carter, you don't smoke. At least, I've never seen you" both men heard their commanding officer inform them. "But thanks for waking me." At the same time, Hogan realized that he hadn't seen Newkirk smoke any of his cigarettes after both men had told him what they were. I wonder if there's a special connection between vampires and cigarettes?

"Sorry sir, didn't mean to get irritable like that and wake you….Of course, you didn't know that I drank blood until we told you, and then went to Colonel Magerlein's house either." Quietly he added, "Besides, I sorta like my 'clean guy' image."

Newkirk then spoke up, "You see sir, smoking 'elps to take the edge off our desire for blood. It's not a substitute—nothing is—but it works when we can't get our 'ands on any of the substance. Sure, sometimes it's just something to do with me 'ands when I'm bored or restless, but I mostly only smoke because of that."

Hogan nodded, realizing that the corporal's statement made some sense. Still, he couldn't see his sergeant smoking, but he realized that not too long ago he couldn't see Carter drinking blood either. It's a strange world we live in he thought to himself.

Suddenly, Hogan began to put his plan into action. Jumping up from his bench, he approached his cell door corner. Looking to his right and then to his left, he was relieved that Faust wasn't in sight. Slowly, he began to ask of his men, "Is it possible for a vampire to feed on a human without changing him?"

The question startled them, since they suspected what Hogan wanted to do for them. "Only if the vampire doesn't take too much," they replied at the same time. Then, before they could react, Hogan began putting his plan into action. Their eyes grew wide as they saw Hogan's hand and wrist make its way into their cell.

"We're not feeding on you sir!" they exclaimed at the same time, slightly horrified at what their commanding officer wanted to do for them. "It's not right, and we know that you're weak enough as it is." At the same time, they could only stare at Hogan's wrist with an intense, burning level of desire, and they got up from their bench and began to make their way to his exposed hand as though hypnotized by the sight that lay before them.

Hogan allowed himself to sigh. "I won't deny that Faust is anywhere near the chef that LeBeau is, and I'm looking forward to his cooking when we get out of here. But the truth of the matter is that you're both quickly dying—don't try denying it. It always has, and it always will be, my job to watch out for you two…I'm not making it an order, but please let me do this for you." Hogan held his breath, as he waited for their answer.

From inside his cell, Hogan allowed himself to breathe as he heard their reply. "You're going to 'ave to tell us when you start feeling too faint or light-headed—any more blood loss and you'll be changed," Newkirk informed his commanding officer. Hogan nodded to himself.

I want you to go first, Newkirk thought to his friend, as his green eyes met Carter's. As a younger vampire I know that you're more 'ungry than I am. He was glad that his friend didn't try to argue with him, but simply nodded. Newkirk saw Carter's fangs come out, and he held onto Hogan's hand. Slowly he bent over his commanding officer's wrist, and his eyes quickly searched for an ideal vein or two.

Suddenly, Hogan noticed what felt like four needles forcefully tearing into his flesh and his veins. It took everything he had for him not to scream but instead to bite his tongue, as the pain was worse than he had imagined. He could feel the blood being drawn from him as one of his men worked on his wrist, sucking it as though through a straw with all of his might. He noticed a brief intermission, before the act was repeated. Finally, when he began feeling a bit woozy, he had to call out, "I need you to stop."

Newkirk immediately pulled his fangs out of Hogan's wrist and let it fall before he backed away, his eyes still green and a small blood smear on his lower lip. Wiping it away, he sat down next to Carter, and both men's eyes returned to their normal color. In his own cell, Hogan drew his arm back to him, and he looked down at his wrist and the four closely located puncture marks while he tore off his shirt sleeve to use as a makeshift bandage to prevent any more blood loss. Even though he was feeling slightly faint and had to carefully make his way back to his bench, he allowed himself to smile, knowing that he had given his men a precious, life-saving gift.

"Thank you sir, for The Gift—we're feeling much better now," Hogan heard his men inform them. "We still have headaches, but our irritability and cramps are gone." They quickly added, "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm a bit lightheaded, but you haven't changed me," Hogan replied, giving his customary smile. Quizzically he asked them, "But what do you mean by The Gift?"

"As long as we live, your blood will always flow through our veins. We know we told you that vampires can be loyal, but because of your sacrifice that loyalty has grown tenfold," they informed their commanding officer at the same time. Slyly, they added, "Well, if that's even possible."

Hogan nodded. He was about to give one of his sarcastic replies—"Just don't follow me around like lost puppies after the war,"—before he thought better of it.

Newkirk and Carter sat in silence with their eyes closed for several minutes, allowing the blood to work its way through their system. They could feel it rushing through their body, through all of their veins, but that it was especially concentrated in their heads, legs and stomachs. Even though they knew that they were still Faust's prisoners, they let out contented, inaudible sighs as their bodies felt the blood's euphoric sensation. They knew that they still weren't feeling one hundred percent, but they also realized that they would never take more than their commanding officer was capable of giving of himself. Well, whole, and complete indeed they both thought to themselves at the same time.

After thirty minutes had passed and their bodies' dopamine levels had long since returned to their equilibrium points, Carter found that an earlier doubt had begun to surface again. Turning to face his friend, he asked of him There's still one thing that I don't understand. If Eagle has been able to pick up our scents and find us, then why hasn't he found out that we, along with the Colonel and the others, been able to find out that we can slip into and out of camp? Wouldn't he have been able to pick up on our scents during one of his runs?

Newkirk turned to face his friend, with a slight look of surprise registering on his face. I wouldn't be so concerned about that—not after what Klink's doing for us.

Carter could only look at his friend quizzically. What do you mean, what he's doing for us? I don't understand.

It was then that Newkirk's slight expression grew into an incredulous one. You really don't know, do you? Blimey—and all this time I thought you knew. Of course, I'm not about to tell the Gov'nor, and Klink doesn't even know that we know. When I read 'is mind, knowing that 'e was a werewolf wasn't the only thing I picked up on.

Carter's expression then changed into one of annoyance. Well, are you going to tell me what you know or not?

Well, I 'ad me doubts at first- 'e certainly puts on a good act, pretending not to know anything. Of course, all this time 'e's been pretending that 'e 'asn't been a werewolf either. That's 'ow I know that we'll never need to make a choice between watching out for our Kommandant and protecting the Gov'nor. It was then that Newkirk told Carter about Klink's other hidden side.

But that's impossible! Carter thought to his friend. He can't be!

I know—those were me exact thoughts at first, too. But being a werewolf does give 'im certain advantages and abilities—ones that even we don't possess. Besides, that's exactly what we thought at first when we learned that Kinch and LeBeau were werewolves….You know, sometimes I feel that our entire life 'ere is nothing more than a game of "Who Knows What?"

Well, it's a good thing we're all on the same side then, Carter replied to his friend.

Sighing, they thought about what they knew. They knew that as werewolves, Kinch and LeBeau sometimes felt an irresistible urge to run in the forest that surrounded their Stalag, and to give into their other side. They figured that it gave Hogan's two other men the same euphoric feeling that drinking blood gave to them. Newkirk also knew that he hadn't been lying when he had told LeBeau that he had never read his mind, as it was indeed the truth. Instead, Carter and Newkirk had been returning from the hospital with their blood bags one evening, when they had seen Kinch and LeBeau shift into their wolf form by the tree stump that connected to the hidden tunnel. Fortunately, they had been standing downwind at the time, and Kinch and LeBeau had been unable to pick up their scent, so they knew that Kinch and LeBeau had been showing real surprise when they found out that Hogan's two other men were vampires. It's a good thing that the scent of death, of decomposition disappears extremely quickly they thought to themselves.

They also knew that Klink had sometimes expressed his concern about being surrounded by two other werewolves in his Stalag, and he had a very strong suspicion that Kinch and LeBeau were also shape shifters. At the same time, Carter and Newkirk knew that Hogan's two other men felt the same way—that they knew what Klink was. Of course, it didn't help that they probably heard Klink turn into Eagle after Hochstetter had left his office they thought at the same time. They knew that Kinch and LeBeau would never tell Hogan about Klink, however, because doing that would mean that they would have to reveal themselves as well. Carter and Newkirk had figured that they had managed to show surprise at why Carter and Newkirk had to leave his quarters suddenly that day, even though they knew what had happened. They probably felt relieved that we were handling the situation. They also knew that Golden and Loup wanted nothing to do with Eagle, since Klink was, after all, their Kommandant and on the opposite side in this war. Maybe they wonder how we can be so caring for him? they asked themselves. Still, they probably realize that Klink is harmless enough, even if they also would have been able to pick up on his scent during their own runs. Even though they may not know about his other hidden side, they would know that Klink would never be able to tell Hochstetter or Burkhalter that he could pick up on their scents, without revealing to them that he was a werewolf—and he doesn't have any other proof of their espionage activities. In a way, they're lucky. They've always been able to control their condition, but the only way that's possible is if their condition is hereditary, unlike Klink's they thought to themselves. Finally, they knew that their commanding officer was largely ignorant of the entire affair.

Newkirk then turned back to Carter. But I only told you about Klink so that you wouldn't worry. You 'ave to promise that you'll never tell the Colonel what I informed you of….At least not until after the war.

Peter, please. I know that I sometimes have trouble keeping my mouth shut, but we all have our secrets. Unlike telling the Colonel that we're vampires, I know how to stay quiet on this. Carter saw that Newkirk responded with a contented sigh, knowing that the sergeant would actually be able to keep Klink's other secret safe. Nimrod's identity would not be known beyond the two of them.

…

Afternoon had fallen on the fourth day, as Loup and Golden had managed to pick up Newkirk's scent after they had passed the town of Niederwerm (1). They had picked up Hogan's scent as soon as they had regained consciousness from the knockout gas, but even if Kinch and LeBeau hadn't been hesitant to use their other side, they knew that they would have to return to their Stalag regardless in order to pack their field packs for their journey. Since they had no way of knowing that their commanding officer had earlier fed Newkirk and Carter, they could only hope that they could find their men in time before Faust did something terrible to them.

Suddenly, the two wolves picked up on another scent, and they immediately realized who it belonged to. I wonder what Eagle's doing all the way out here? Golden thought to himself. He must be trying to find the Colonel and the others. Loup, who had been impulsively leading the way, suddenly turned his head to face the wolf behind him. Golden saw in Loup's expression and his still-sniffing nostrils that he had picked up on the same scent, and the same thought had crossed his mind. They both knew that they had to be extra-careful that Eagle didn't pick up on their scent, because they didn't need Klink knowing that they had managed to slip away from everybody. They especially didn't need Klink knowing that they could do that all along, as it would reveal the true identity of Papa Bear.

…

As night fell, Faust suddenly reappeared to check on his prisoners, hoping that this time Carter and Newkirk would be more willing to talk. He showed up outside Hogan's cell with his customary sinister smile, and bent down to place the plate of food inside the Colonel's cell. Upon seeing Faust outside his cell, Hogan had immediately turned his body away without trying to appear suspicious, hoping to shield his bandaged left arm from the Gestapo agent. However, Hogan reacted a split second too late. As Faust stood back up again, he noticed that Hogan's left shirt sleeve was missing, which didn't concern him. However, the sergeant made his way over to Carter's and Newkirk's cell, expecting to see two very weak vampires.

"You know that you two will be dead shortly if you don't talk," Faust sinisterly informed them. "Of course, I…" Faust stopped himself, as he noticed that Newkirk and Carter appeared to have more energy than they had yesterday. It was then that the truth dawned upon him.

I didn't think it was possible—I had always heard that a human would immediately be killed as soon as a vampire laid fang to him. But now, Faust began his mental calculations, I see that this isn't the case. Turning away from their cell, the sergeant walked back to Hogan's, and quickly opened and then closed it.

Carter could only look at Newkirk with a half-quizzical, half-fearful look as he had heard Faust open Hogan's cell. What do you think Faust is doing to the Colonel?

I'm not sure, Newkirk replied with a small degree of worry. But 'e better not 'urt the Colonel, especially not in a vampiric fashion—maybe just try to make 'im talk.

Faust quickly sat down next to Hogan, and turned his head to face the Colonel. "I think we need to have a little talk," the Gestapo agent quietly began.

"About what? All you'll get out of me is name, rank, and serial number," Hogan calmly informed his capturer.

"Who needs that sort of information?" Suddenly, the sergeant roughly reached over and picked up Hogan's left arm, and began to untie his shirt sleeve. "So it is true—you have fed your men. Perhaps there is more to go around?" Hogan could only stare at Faust, completely horrified as he saw the sergeant's eyes turn green and his upper canines turn into fangs.

"You get away from me!" Newkirk and Carter heard their commanding officer scream. Immediately they rushed up and to their cell door, hoping that they had enough strength to bend open the cell bars. Even Carter found himself mentally cursing as he realized that they still wouldn't budge.

"Colonel! Gov'nor! Answer us!" they shouted at the same time. They both could sense what was happening, and they could feel their faces becoming flushed. Not that. Anything but that! they thought to themselves at the same time.

It was over in a matter of minutes. Suddenly, Faust reappeared next to their cell, blood smearing his mouth and chin. "Do you see? This is what happens when you don't talk!" the sergeant angrily informed them.

"You bloody bastard!" Newkirk shouted at Faust. Turning his head slightly, he could see that Carter was equally furious. "I swear I'll kill you meself after I get out of 'ere!"

"You two are not going anywhere anytime soon. But you're right about one thing—bloody is correct." With that, Faust turned and walked off in the same direction that he had come from.

"Colonel, answer us! Are you alright?" They both couldn't believe what had just happened. They couldn't believe that Faust had just fed on their Colonel. Suddenly, Newkirk's warning to his commanding officer came back, ringing strongly in his head. Any more blood loss and you'll be changed. They waited—but there was no reply from their commanding officer.

Suddenly, they heard Hogan gasp. "I'm alright," they could hear him weakly respond.

They quickly asked him the thought that was on their mind. "Did he change you?"

"No, he…didn't. He only…hurt me," Hogan truthfully told his men. "I'll be…alright."

Newkirk and Carter let out small sighs, relieved that Faust hadn't changed Hogan into a vampire. Inside his cell, Hogan lay slumped against his wall, feeling weak after the sergeant had attacked him. I hate that…Gestapo agent, he weakly thought to himself. He could only hope that he would have enough strength the following day to help him, along with his men, escape from the clutches of what he now knew to be the true monster in his life.

(1) Towns courtesy of Google Maps